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kevinf

Vinegar and baking soda is good if you want to avoid caustics. Otherwise to stop sludge build-up you can get "main-line" cleaner from your home center / home improvement warehouse (Lowes, Home Depot, etc) and run it down once a year. It's pretty much just lye and maybe some enzymes to bre...

kevinf

it also didn’t look like anything I could find online that is gasket related, and the total thickness of the material is a few mm. Considering how easy the stuff would flake off and peel away from itself, I can’t imagine it being much of a gasket. It was sludge from soap and other residue that drie...

kevinf

Vinegar and baking soda is good if you want to avoid caustics. Otherwise to stop sludge build-up you can get "main-line" cleaner from your home center / home improvement warehouse (Lowes, Home Depot, etc) and run it down once a year. It's pretty much just lye and maybe some enzymes to brea...

kevinf

Edit - I saw the word SLIME and thought it was the can with the gunk in it, not a real tire inflator. This is fine. A product like Ride-On shouldn't cause TPMS issues because it's not sprayed into the tire. The valve plug is removed and the product is pumped or squeezed in and collects at the base ...

kevinf

https://www.google.com/android/find

You can lock and erase a device from your google web account or lock it and sign it out of your google account.

kevinf

My concern, and why I point this out, is that if someone values their Google account sufficiently to protect it with GAP then they need to be aware of possible pitfalls with some operations. Same I lost my phone, I could use the Google account Security function to force that device to "log out...

kevinf

They do make lead-acid jump-starters too. I had one that was on the switched 12v outlet so it would charge as I drive but not drain the battery when the car was off.

kevinf

I've got in 3 conditioning hikes on part of the nearby Appalachian Trail connected local trails while the weather is super nice. :D Consider carrying the pack you will be using with a few lbs more than you expect your load will be. I load mine with rice and water and an old sleeping bag (to fill in...

kevinf

I've got in 3 conditioning hikes on part of the nearby Appalachian Trail connected local trails while the weather is super nice. :D https://bitjumble.com/files/misc/Trails/AppalachianTrail/Screenshot_20210404-185510.png https://bitjumble.com/files/misc/Trails/AppalachianTrail/Screenshot_20210404-185...

kevinf

If you guys truly cared about battery lifetime, you’d get an LI car battery and not fool around with that sulfuric acid stuff. :mrgreen: I actually checked out a lithium battery before I bought my AGM... the lithium battery was about $450 for my car :moneybag However, I do have a Shorai lithium bat...

kevinf

I have to tighten the handles now and then https://www.permatex.com/products/thread-compounds/threadlockers/permatex-high-temperature-threadlocker-red-2/?locale=en_us https://www.loctiteproducts.com/en/products/specialty-products/specialty/loctite_threadlockerred271.html I used high heat red thread...

kevinf

Lynette wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 9:47 am If so, have you found a keychain for it that will allow you to remove it quickly. I am struggling to find such a keychain. I do not think the Yubikey can be on a keychain when you use it on the back of a phone.

Lynette

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JBOUKTC/

kevinf

I replace car batteries every 4 years, even when they are working fine. I want to buy a battery when convenient and replace it on a sunny day in my driveway instead of in a parking lot or along the side of the road. Same here. I price one out with the features I want at my leisure, buy, and replace...

kevinf

We will have two experienced EMS personnel in the group, so hopefully any medical emergencies that crop up can be handled appropriately

kevinf

You could kill three birds with one stone and install a heat-pump water heater if you don't already have one... it dehumidifies and cools your basement and uses less energy to heat your domestic hot water!

kevinf

A simple dehumidifier and ceiling fan could improve how the temperature feels quite considerably if you live in a more humid area. Dry, moving air feels much cooler... I can comfortably relax in a room that is 80f with humidity under 40% and a ceiling fan running. If you can't keep it below 82f howe...

kevinf

Kal1981 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:34 pm What are the risk of PSLDX? I understand it’s leveraged with underlying in S&P500 and treasuries. Does it mean in a down market, the losses are multiplied? So if S&P 500 is down 20%, PSLDX will be down 35%?

Why not 100% PSLDX?

kevinf

Actually that's not a bad idea at all. I have an excellent headlamp so a night hike wouldn't be terrible AND I'm a night owl!

kevinf

June 23rd: My friend and I leave from PA and fly into Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (AZ) What airport in PA, and where do you catch a flight to Flagstaff? Connecting thru Chicago? Wife and I looking at a similar trip out west. HIA with 1.25 hr layover in DFW then to FLG. If you want to explore beyond Z...

kevinf

To be honest with the posters mentioning the heat... the last time I was desert hiking in the summer (New Mexico) I rather enjoyed the dry heat by comparison. It's not unusual to do summer hikes in the Northeast with 90+ temps and VASTLY higher humidity than the Southwest. Staying dry, cool, and hyd...

kevinf

Do you have experience with desert hiking? Are you taking a canyoneering course in Springdale? If your schedule is flexible I'd definitely try to explore beyond the park itself, which can get incredibly crowded (though the backcountry is of course not as bad). One trip to Philmont Scout Ranch (New ...

kevinf

I'm considering NTSX as a significant holding from a windfall I'm investing, i.e., held in taxable... think about it is as a lower-volatility/higher-upside replacement for VTI.. I'm curious if other NTSX-holders are using it this way,... That's pretty much how I'm using it for now. Also as a holdin...

kevinf

So I've taken a sabbatical from work this year and have a group getting together for a 2.5 week backpacking trip in late June and early July. One of my friends and I are actually taking the extended 0.5 part of the trip to detour to the Grand Canyon before meeting up with the rest of the party in La...

kevinf

It's the little victories.

Hopefully the repipe on April 1st will fix the steam hammer problem I'm having.

kevinf

Additional professional tip: after you remove that plug, replace it with a stainless steel pipe plug. Didn't need to weld anything, but I did grab a 304 stainless steel plug as suggested... and I used NON-HARDENING thread sealant on it. Whatever thread sealant the manufacturer used basically turned...

kevinf

It's recessed, but can you grab it with Vise Grip pliers? The next question is how badly is it rusted, and how much torque will it take to get it loose. No way to get locking pliers on it and apply torque, and it's unknown how much torque this will take to break loose. So I did the math and it took...

kevinf

I'm not sure that I would recommend that an unqualified person weld to a pressure vessel. I don't have any welding equipment anyway, just a plumbing torch and some solder. Residential steam boilers don't run under any notable amount of pressure either, most will steam great on a few ounces of press...

kevinf

Success! The 8-point 1-1/8th inch socket fits perfectly on the square head. My 10-inch ratchet wasn't persuasive enough, but a 14" breaker bar did the trick. The OEM pipe plug has a tan thread sealant on it that has turned into a rock and will not come off even with a stainless steel wire brush...

kevinf

We'll find out Monday! But the amazon page had a customer review that stated that it worked on their boiler plug of the same size... so I'm fairly confident that we'll see results.

kevinf

Never heard of Tool Library. I also checked Horror Fright out but they only had the typical 6 and 12 point sockets. Regardless, I've ordered what SHOULD be the correct socket off Amazon. See the link in my post above... Amazon comments have specifically noted that this socket is used on 1.5" bo...

kevinf

Update: Local plumbing supply did NOT have the purpose built tool or socket required for this job. They are having a stainless steel pipe plug cross-shipped from another store however. I ordered a socket off of Amazon... it arrives Sunday and the SS pipe plug will be in on Monday. https://www.amazon...

kevinf

Your plug looks like it has a 1-1/16" head, not a 1-1/8" head. The raised head socket is 1-1/16", and the 1-1/8" is only for countersunk plugs. It's a one-man shop, so he may have sold your size already. The head is ever so slightly larger than 1-1/16" so I went with 1-1/8&...

kevinf

Do not take any advice for lubricants here, just go to Project Farm to find out the best lubricant to soak it with overnight, then use pipe wrench. Sounds easy to me. I have a very nice pipe wrench that will not fit into the space, as mentioned earlier :happy I'm not going to go straight to any kin...

kevinf

Nope, the fixtures on the backside of the burner would need to be removed to get the cover off. That's not really practical.

I'm zeroing in on the tools I need, they're uncommon but once I have them it should be pretty straightforward from there.

kevinf

So the big box home improvement stores were a bust, I'm going to check out a local plumbing supply store tomorrow and see if they have a proper 8-pt socket and a stainless steel pipe plug in 1.5".

If that fails for some reason, I'm down to ordering off the interwebs.

kevinf

The breaker bar could work if I can source the right socket :) edit: apparently the proper common socket for square bolt/head is 8-point (aka double square), but 12-point would work at the risk of being easier to round off the edges. Googling shows this question coming up fairly frequently on mechan...

kevinf

...Before you do any of this re-evaluate why you want to take the plug out. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'll keep looking for the proper tool... so far the one I found isn't quite the right size and would be about $120 all told (pricey uncommon socket plus uncommon 3/4" drive ratchet), ve...

kevinf

...if this is a floor sewer access point that might have some pressure behind it... This is a surface blow-off port for a new-ish (less than 10 years old) steam boiler. There won't be any pressure behind it as the boiler would be off and cool and there won't be any nasty fluids as it is above the w...

kevinf

No way to get locking pliers on it and apply torque, and it's unknown how much torque this will take to break loose.

kevinf

So I've got a 1.5" pipe plug that has a 1.125" square head. I'm wondering if a 12-point socket will just end up rounding this black iron pipe plug off? Apparently the correct tool for this is a "female pipe plug socket" but those are proving difficult to find at a reasonable pric...

kevinf

You can get small iron shephard's hooks to hang jar lights from your local home center/hardware store... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WPX12K7/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CV4SLHZ Or just buy solar light shephard's hook kits... https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shepherd+hook&i=tools htt...

kevinf

Rookie question: is high humidity good or bad for leather? Higher humidity is better for leather and hardwood floors. Arid environments will cause cracking of leather and warping of hardwood floors. For cleaning cloth seats, a steamer works wonders and also sterilizes. We used steamers in our ambul...

kevinf

Hybrid mattresses also exist, that have inner springs under a foam/latex upper layer. They stop you from getting sucked into your mattress and give edge support that most foam/latex mattresses don't have. They also have some of the bounce of a full inner-spring so getting out of bed and other night-...

kevinf

There have been a number of threads about how millennials taste in furniture has changed and for the most part do not want what they derisively call "big brown furniture" and the market for it is almost nonexistent so it can be very difficult to even give it away. Few millennials will wan...

kevinf

I was considering the new Yukon and figured I could save 13.5k if I go with the base version cloth seats. I really think the base trim level will give me everything I need. I've had leather and it seems like they wear out pretty easily and they crack. My current car has the leather trim and cloth s...

kevinf

Whatever happened to vinyl seats? They were easy to keep clean and held up very well in my experience. Sure thing Satan. Vinyl has all the downsides of leather with none of the upsides of cloth. Blisteringly hot in the summer, bone-chillingly cold in the winter. Cracks from UV exposure and heat if ...

kevinf

One of my paramedic colleagues is a part-time paramedic and full-time pilot. You could give EMS a shot if you're just looking for a little variety.

kevinf

Nicholas, you can goto YouTube and search your cabin air filter replacement. Okay, I’ll replace it, though I would just like to say that in my fifty-two years of driving I’ve never replaced a cabin filter and I’ve never suffered any ill-effects, that I know of. As another poster stated, you will ab...

kevinf

Bleach solution to clean, then wet-and-forget for maintenance. You can think about installing a UV light to help inhibit mold growth and or a fan to keep air circulating around if you want fewer chemicals about. Perhaps instead of paint you can use a rubberized or metallized coating.

kevinf

Which Drain Opener is the Best? Let's Find Out! Clogged drains happen at the worst possible times. So, which type of drain opener works best to unclog drains quickly? Will these products cause damage to plumbing? Drano, Liquid Plumr, Lye, Sulfuric Acid (Clobber), Roebic (enzymes/bacteria), Muriatic...

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